Prison Staff

Tuesday, 7 July 2020

Ceisteanna (652)

Sorca Clarke

Ceist:

652. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the ratio of psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers and addiction counsellors per prisoner per prison in February 2020; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14487/20]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Justice and Equality

Provision of safe and secure custody and dignity of care to persons in the penal system in Ireland is a priority for my Department and the Prison Service.

I understand that the prison healthcare service provides prisoners with access to the same range of quality of healthcare services as available under the medical card scheme in the community. The Prison Service Health Care Standards guide the provision of these health services to prisoners, reflecting the prison context and good clinical practice. These Standards have been published and further information is available on the Irish Prison Service website www.irishprisons.ie.

Specific attention is also paid to psychology and mental health. I understand that the Prison Service Psychology Service makes up part of the clinical and operational multi-disciplinary team in each prison and provides tailored psychological assessment and intervention services for people in custody. Psychological interventions include both individual and group based approaches, and are provided through a Stepped Model of Care.

I have requested the information sought by the Deputy from the Irish Prison Service and they have in turn requested certain of these details from the Health Service Executive. I will write directly to the Deputy when I receive the information.

The following deferred reply was received under Standing Order 51

I refer to Parliamentary Question 652 for written reply on 7 July 2020, requesting the ratio of psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers and addiction counsellors per prisoner per prison in February 2020. You will recall at that time that the Irish Prison Service had requested certain information from the Health Service Executive and this information is now to hand.

In replying to this question it is important to note that services to prisoners, including healthcare and addiction services, are provided through a combination of staff directly employed or engaged by the Irish Prison Service such as healthcare staff; psychologists and addiction counsellors, and other specialist and in-reach services provided by external agencies such as psychiatrists; dentists and social workers.

With regard to social workers, many of the services that could be categorised as “social work” fall into a range of areas and responsibilities including: medical social workers; psychiatric social workers; housing welfare officers; and child welfare officers. These services are provided by a number of different agencies and in many cases are not provided by bespoke staff assigned to prisons therefore, the Irish Prison Service does not have access to data on the ratio of the service provider to prisoner as per your question.

The information requested by you, in so far as it is available, is set out in the below tables.

Information on the ratio of Psychologists and Addiction Counsellors per prisoner per prison, as it was in February 2020, is set out in Table 1 below.

The Irish Prison Service had at that time eight - Grade 1 Psychologists and fifteen - Grade 2 psychologists. In addition, there were an additional nine Assistant Psychologists, who provide support to the psychologist team. Assistant Psychologists are not included in the prisoner/psychologist ratio as they are not fully qualified psychology staff.

In addition, Merchants Quay Ireland (MQI) provide to the Irish Prison Service 20 Addiction Counsellors across the Estate. MQI operate in all prisons except Arbour Hill as, given prisoner profile, there is minimal demand required for drug addiction counselling services at that location.

Probation Officers, many of whom are social work qualified are assigned to work in prison settings nationally and work with identified prisoners as valued members of multi-disciplinary teams. This can mean working closely with prison staff, psychologists, addiction specialists and community based organisations. There are currently 25 Probation Officers and 8 Senior Probation Officers assigned to work specifically in Prison settings.

The Irish Prison Service works with the Health Service Executive/National Forensic Mental Health Service (NFMHS) to ensure the appropriate provision of Psychiatric services to those in custody with mental health needs in all closed prisons.

In-reach mental health services are available in all Dublin prisons and in the Portlaoise Campus through collaboration with the NFMHS to provide forensic mental health sessions weekly in these prisons. Thirteen in-reach Community Psychiatric Nurses (CPNs) and two new social workers, attached to the NFMHS, are part of the in-reach multi-disciplinary teams. Since August 2019, a consultant psychiatrist has provided a mental health service in Castlerea prison.

Consultant Psychiatrist led services are provided to those in custody in Limerick and Cork prisons, by way of an agreement with the HSE. The National Forensic Mental Health Services has confirmed that its current caseload includes up to 250 patients who are ordinarily in the custody of the Irish Prison Service.

Information relating to psychiatrists and social workers was requested from the Health Services Executive and is set out in Table 2 .

As stated above Psychiatric Services and Forensic Mental Health Social Workers are provided by the National Forensic Mental Health Services on an in-reach basis.

I trust this explains the situation.

Table 1 Number in Custody, Addiction Counsellors and Psychologist

Prison	Number in Custody	Addiction Counsellors	Ratio Addiction Counsellors to Prisoners	Psychologists	Ratio Psychologists to Prisoners
Portlaoise	241	0.54	1:446	1 Grade 1 Senior Psychologist 1 Grade 2 Psychologist	1:161
Shelton Abbey	100	0.8	1:125	-	-
Dochas Centre	148	1.08	1:137	1 Grade 1 Senior Psychologist	0.5:148
Wheatfield	536	3	1:178	0.6 Grade 1 Senior Psychologist, 2.6 Grade 2 Psychologist ,	1:191
Arbour Hill	136	0 *as required minimal demands given prisoner profile		0.4 Grade 1 Senior Psychologist 1.4 Grade 2 Psychologist	1:85
Cloverhill	400	1	1:400	1 Grade 1 Senior Psychologist 1 Grade 2 Psychologist	1:178
Mountjoy	704	5 *facilitates National Drug Treatment Programme also	1:140	1 Grade 1 Senior Psychologist 3 Grade 2 Psychologist	1:201
Midlands	889	1.96	1:453	1 Grade 1 Senior Psychologist 3 Grade 2 Psychologist	1:254
Limerick	266	2	1:133	1 Grade 1 Senior Psychologist (vacant - 1 temporary locum Grade 2 psychologist in lieu)	1:266
Cork	327	1.72	1:190	1 Grade 1 Senior Psychologist 1 Grade 2 Psychologist	1:197
Castlerea	323	2	1:162	1 Grade 1 Senior Psychologist 1 Grade 2 Psychologist	1:215
Loughan House	135	1	1:135	-	-

Table 2: Staffing based on figures from 29/2/20: Ratio of Psychiatrists per prisoner

Prison	Number in Custody	Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist	Ratio Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist	Forensic Community Psychiatric Nurse	Ratio Forensic Community Psychiatric Nurse	Forensic Registrar	Ratio Forensic Registrar	Forensic Mental Health Social Worker	Ratio Forensic Mental Health Social Worker
Portlaoise	241	0.2 WTE	0.2:241	-	-	-	-	-	-
Shelton Abbey	100	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Dochas Centre	148	0.3 + 0.1 WTE	0.4:148	1.0 WTE	1:148	-	-	1.0 WTE	1:148
Wheatfield	536	0.2 WTE	0.2:536	1 WTE	1:536	-	-	-	-
Arbour Hill	136	0.2 WTE	0.2:136	0.2 WTE	0.2:136	-	-	-	-
Cloverhill	400	1.5 WTE	1.5:400	3 WTE	1:133	2 WTE	1:200	-
Mountjoy	704	0.5 + 0.1 WTE	0.6:704	2 WTE	1:352	-	-	1.0 WTE	1:704
Midlands	889	1 WTE	1:889	2 WTE	1:445	-	-	-	-
Limerick	266	0.1 WTE (HSE not NFMHS)	0.1:266	0.1 WTE	0.1:266	-	-	-	-
Cork	327	0.2 WTE (HSE not NFMHS)	0.2:327	0.6 WTE	0.6:327	-	-	0.6 WTE	0.6:327
Castlerea	323	1 WTE	1:323	1 WTE	1:323	-	-	1.0 WTE (Vacant)	1:323 (Vacant)
Loughan	135	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-